After Ontario backtracks on landfill study, Liberals seek probe into donor links
TORONTO - The Ontario Liberals are asking the integrity commissioner to investigate the province's decision to backtrack on an environmental assessment of a massive landfill expansion project backed by Progressive Conservative donors.
The Liberals want the integrity commissioner to look at whether Premier Doug Ford's government gave the project special treatment because its developers are lucrative donors to his party.
The government is opting to cancel the assessment it had previously ordered for the project in Dresden, a rural farming community in southwestern Ontario, as part of a controversial omnibus bill making its way through the legislature.
The government ordered the assessment last summer, citing the community's concerns about the proposed landfill expansion, just weeks before it called a byelection in the local riding where the PC candidate campaigned against the expansion.
Environment Minister Todd McCarthy now says the province can't afford to keep shipping a large share of its waste to the United States, suggesting Ontario is facing a landfill capacity 'crisis.'
The Liberals fired back by suggesting the government was leveraging the U.S. trade war to push through policies to benefit insiders at the expense of transparency and accountability to local residents.
York1, the company behind the project, is seeking to revive a dormant landfill about a kilometre north of Dresden and expand it by more than 30-fold to service waste from across the province.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Details of the developers' donations and lobbying efforts were first reported by The Trillium, a Queen's Park-based news outlet, and were cited by the Liberals in their letter to the integrity commissioner.
The Trillium reported executives at the companies and their family members had donated about $200,000 to the PCs since 2018.
The Canadian Press has corroborated some of those political contributions recorded in a public Elections Ontario database.
The integrity commissioner confirmed it was reviewing the Liberal request.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 12, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
GST relief on new homes could save 1st-time buyers up to $240 on mortgages: report
OTTAWA — A new analysis says first-time Canadian homebuyers could save up to $240 on their monthly mortgage payments through the federal government's proposal to waive the sales tax on new builds. Desjardins Economics says in a new report that the impact on housing affordability will be "particularly strong" for buyers in Canada's more expensive markets, like Toronto and Vancouver. The Liberal government has tabled legislation to eliminate the GST portion from new home sales of up to $1 million for first-time buyers, which works out to as much as $50,000 off the cost of a new build or substantially renovated unit. For homes sold above $1 million, the GST relief is phased out as the price tag nears $1.5 million. But Desjardins also cautions that the policy could drive up demand for housing, which in the near-term could push up home prices if not coupled with other efforts to boost supply. Parliament has yet to pass the legislation, which the Liberals introduced alongside the government's pledge to cut income taxes starting July 1. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2025. Craig Lord, The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Keyera doubles natural gas volumes to be shipped via AltaGas terminal in B.C.
CALGARY — Keyera Corp. has reached an agreement to double the volume of liquefied petroleum gas it plans to export through a West Coast export facility being built by AltaGas Ltd. AltaGas said in February that Keyera had contracted 12,500 barrels per day of capacity to ship the gas to Asia via the Ridley Island Energy Export Facility near Prince Rupert, B.C. The companies announced Monday that will rise to 25,000 barrels per day under 15-year tolling agreements. The facility is to be used to export propane and butane in its first phase, with the possibility of expanding into ethane and other valuable liquids in the future. It's being built next to a propane export facility AltaGas already operates on Ridley Island. AltaGas says the uncertain trade environment has underscored the need for Canadian companies to diversify their export markets beyond the United States. "AltaGas provides its customers the opportunity for protection against tariff and counter-tariff impacts and ensures access to the highest priced global markets," it said. "As Canadian upstream production continues to grow, we believe it is critical to connect more of Canada's vital energy products to premium global markets for the benefit of all Canadians." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2025. Companies in this story: (TSX: KEY) (TSX: ALA) Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Saskatchewan and Ontario remove trade barriers
While premiers met in Saskatoon last week, an agreement between Saskatchewan and Ontario to break down trade barriers was announced. Putting ink to paper, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and Ontario Premier Doug Ford signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the two provinces to work on getting rid of roadblocks between the two provinces. 'Saskatchewan has long been a leader in reducing trade barriers,' said Trade and Export Minister Warren Kaeding. 'This MOU is the progress on internal trade that our country needs to remain competitive and resilient.' He explained that the two provinces will work together to improve the flow of goods, services, and labour mobility; recognize the importance of strengthening public safety and the integrity and role of our Crown corporations; and advance direct to consumer alcohol sales while working with other willing jurisdictions to do the same. 'We continue to see success in internal trade through our participation in the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) and the New West Partnership Trade Agreement with British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba,' Kaeding said. According to statistics from 2021, total interprovincial trade between the two provinces amounted to $6.4 billion. 'Now is the time to take strong action to strengthen trade across Canada,' noted Moe. 'Our province remains committed to removing restrictive barriers that limit the flow of trade. Today's MOU between Saskatchewan and Ontario is just one of the ways we are unlocking the infinite potential that exists within our industries from coast to coast.' Trade makes up around 70 per cent of Saskatchewan's Gross Domestic Product, with the recent signing of the MOU seen as providing more stability when actions south of the border threaten change at a whim. 'With President Trump taking direct aim at Canada's economy, we need to do everything we can to protect Ontario and Canadian workers by super-charging our own internal trade opportunities,' Ford said. 'With both of us coming together today, we are helping Canada unlock up to $200 billion in gains for our economy, and we are showing everyone how all of us premiers are standing up for Canada like never before. Together, we are building a more competitive, more resilient and more self-reliant economy.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
